Expect the next leg of the NASCAR playoffs, the Gander Outdoors 400, to have plenty of speed around Dover International Speedway, and Fords to have a distinct edge on a course nicknamed “The Monster Mile.” Ford has won 15 of the 29 races there this season, while Toyota has won 12, and Chevrolet two.
Following a crazy finish at the Charlotte Roval, the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs continue this weekend with the Round of 12 at the Dover International Speedway, where a win should be enough to send someone to the Round of 8 and eventually the Championship 4.
Of the 12 remaining drivers, seven are driving Fords: Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski, Clint Bowyer, Joey Logano, Kurt Busch, Ryan Blaney, and Arik Almirola.
Harvick is the favorite to win Sunday’s race at 5/2, partly because he won one of his seven Cup races there in May at the AAA 400 Drive for Autism.
“Dover is the racetrack where you feel the sensation of speed more than anything,” Harvic said. “It’s a place where you drop off into the corner and slam into a lot of banking and then, as you come out of the corner, it’s kind of like jumping out of a hole and up onto the straightaway. It’s a really fun place to race. You feel that sensation of speed and you can be really aggressive.”
Gander Outdoors 400
Location: Dover International Speedway
Date: Sunday, Oct. 7
Time: 2 pm ET
Length: 400 miles/400 laps
Stage 1: Ends on Lap 120
Stage 2: Ends on Lap 240
Final stage: Scheduled for Lap 400
TV: NBCSN
Don’t Forget About Toyota
While Ford is dominating the numbers of drivers chasing the Cup Championship, it is two Toyota drivers that are in the Top 3 of the standings. Kyle Busch is currently first, with a five-point lead over Harvick. In third is last year’s winner, Martin Truex Jr., a mere 17 points behind first place.
Busch, who is listed at 3/1, won this event last year, and also in 2010. He told USA Today that Dover can be intimidating.
“I love that place,” Busch said. “You carry so much speed at that racetrack. It’s definitely a roller-coaster ride and you need to treat it like it’s fun and not be scared of the place.”
Truex is the third choice at 4/1, and said he considers this his home track, having grown up in nearby New Jersey. He has won twice at Dover, and is on a string of four consecutive top-4 finishes.
“No question Dover has been a good track for us,” Truex said. “I really feel comfortable driving there. It’s been one of my favorite tracks.”
Challenging the Big 3
As has been the case for most of the year, the other nine drivers in the Cup hunt will be chasing Harvick, Busch, and Truex. The trio has won 18 of the 29 races.
But one of the Big 3 winning should not be considered a foregone conclusion. There are several drivers that could challenge the trio at Dover.
The first is Kewelowski. He could be the hottest driver right now, winning three consecutive races out of the last five. The 34-year-old led six laps before wrecking last week at Charlotte. He is fourth in the standings, and is a 10/1 pick to win.
Another sleeper might be Kyle Larson. It has been a frustrating season for the 26-year-old, who is winless on the year. He does have four top fives in nine starts and was runner-up in the spring of 2016 and 2017. Larson is 7/1 to win, and had the top practice speed Friday at 164.444 mph.
